The Nest...

"Untitled" 8x10 - Acrylic on board

     I'm feeling some balance in my life this past week...finally rested, errands are taken care of.  The blistering cold outside is bringing such appreciation to the warmth and comfort of being inside.  I have always put a lot of time and attention into making my home a place to retreat to.  Here, I rejuvenate my soul and find balance. 
     I have a few pieces on the go right now, this one I did one night while feeling warm and cozy in my "nest" while the snow fell outside my window.  Every time I look at it I feel warmth and I wonder where this place is, other than inside my own mind... 

Bert Flynn Park - Public Art

The City of Port Moody installed my art.  I was invited to speak before City Council at one of thier monthy meetings.  I spoke of the importance of Public Art to our communities and I spoke of ny inspiration for this piece.  I was honoured that this group of people wanted to hear about what they are approving to represent our community and that my piece had been chosen to do this.  Port Moody is the "City of the Arts" and, as the Public arts coordinator told me, they are trying to live up   to their name.

                                  

I went to Bert Flynn Park in Port Moody to see the finished product. I don't know what I was expecting to see, but I was really happy when I rounded the corner on the trail...it is 4 feet high by 6 feet wide and it's bright red colour popped out of the forest like a beacon in the night. 

 My Inspiration for this piece was, as many of my recent artworks are, the incredible beauty of my surroundings here in Port Moody.  I am always exploring nature and it's ever changing presence, it's durability and vulnerability...and it's relationship to man made structure, humanity, and our durability and vulnerability.  We need each other to survive.  In this particular painting I reversed the obvious...the trees, which are usually such a beautiful backdrop for the city are portrayed in black and white which contrasts the seemingly "blooming" city. 

I've read this quote by Jean Corot/ Painter/ 1859...it was written on a corner of one of his sketchbooks:

"One must interpret nature with naivete and according to one’s personal feelings, with complete detachment from what one knows of the old and contemporary masters. In that way only will you be able to inspire. There are people who are quite gifted but who do not want to use the gifts that were given to them. Such people make me think of a billiard player to whom a complaisant partner would always offer beautiful set-ups that he would not take advantage of. It seems to me, were I to be the player’s opponent, I would end up telling him: “Since that’s the way it is, I will not give you anymore of those!” Instead of God, I would get my revenge on the miserable fools who waste their natural gifts by changing their heart into cork.”

Food for thought...

My First Public Art

I found out through the PMAA ( Port Moody Art Association) that the City of Port Moody was looking for artists to submit works for a vinyl wrap to be used on an electrical box which is placed at the entrance to a park in the Tri-Cities. I submitted and was very happy to hear that they had chosen my work.
I've always really liked the idea of using these metal boxes that pop up on many roads around our communities as a "canvas' " for art. I've seen many of them with photographs of flowers, trees and other nature scenes, but I am really excited at the prospect of using these to show other forms of art...2D, ... 3D, and what ever else we can create and communicate with. To display it on these outdoor, public boxes is a new exciting way to have another avenue open to artists to show their work.



"Rose Coloured Glasses"
mixed media on board
8x10

mixed bag of thoughts...

I found a feather...it was so beautiful. Bright orange on one side and black as night on the other. I just kept looking at it...wondering what the bird who was missing it looked like. I was and still am amazed at the beauty nature gives us...I wonder why, and I wonder how....

...An accumulation of thoughts form the past...and the moment of creation.

"I HAVE AN IDEA"

12X12 charcoal and acrylic on wood panel

Deepest Sleep of sleeps...

I had the very deepest of deep sleeps last night. I've been very busy lately, and I have been thinking about my challenge of life a lot lately...time. Time, the most precious commodity to be had. You can't bank it, you can't retrieve it if it's lost...it's just gone.

So, back to my dilemma of wanting more time. Time with my family, time to sleep, time to create. I came to the realization that my life is just busy right now and I'd have to think of a way to work around the inevitable instead of trying to obtain something that I had no power over obtaining. I gave my brain a big "free pass". Work on those things that need doing in the immediate future and leave those things that can wait until when ever. Who cares if the dishes are dirty, as long as there's food to dirty them with! Yes those are monster dust bunnies on floor...go outside for a walk and you won't have to look at them!

OK, honestly...I have to work on it, but I released a lot of stress yesterday by letting go of the many feelings of "have to". I had a great sleep and woke feeling refreshed and ready for the day. What more could you ask for on a Thursday morning.

Resting, thinking, breathing...Working with what you have...

I was hanging around last weekend...looking through some old sketches I had done in life drawing classes long past. I had the urge to be creative. My wonderful partner endured my scrutinous eye...while he wrote, I sketched him...with my most loved medium...charcole, I decided to add some life to those black and white drawing old and new...C OL O U R !! What a lovely treat. It was so wonderful to be so free with the hand and not care what the outcome would reveal.
I have been reading, enjoying the moments of summer...lying under the beautiful tree in our front yard, feeling the scattering of heat and shadow supplied by the ever present sun...thank God summer is upon us.

I'm paying attention Universe!!

The Mixer show was a success. The room was grand. The turnout was tremendous. Though I didn't sell anything, I had a lot of positive feedback.

This was a very challenging show for me to follow through with for various reasons, most of which had nothing to do with art. Lately I've been very deliberately nurturing my right brain...lots of rest, reading great books, listening to and being present with friends and family, & absorbing at the beauty around me. I've had no agenda but to enjoy the moments.

Recent events have challenged me and taught me. I'm paying attention Universe!! I feel that this has put me on my way to a new stage of my artistic career. I'm thinking, about different process', different purpose and a different path, a path that is organic in it's destination.

Awareness creates and ever changing life.

I look forward to painting again. Soon.

The day has arrived...

Today's the day of "Spring Mixer". Looking forward to a great turnout. Looking forward to exposing my pieces to thoughtful eyes and minds.

The garden...deep Inside.

I worked on this piece for weeks...it's little. It's 12 inches square, and it consumed me for weeks. I had fun with it, I hated it, I like it, I loved it...it has taken many transformations, and now, I can live with it. I feel that this piece is the link to where my future and present connect, as an artist... with many stops in between.
I look at it and I don't know where it came from, but I understand it. I wish someone else created it so I could look at it with anonymity.
Moving forward...

"Peace"

I've taken some time over the past weeks to sketch fruit. I've enjoyed the great colours and subtle textures they encompass.
I have an upcoming group show in the spring and I am examining form, line and colour...I find that rough sketching is a great way to do this as it really allows freedom of flow and movement for me. I'm not sure if this will be one of the pieces I put in the upcoming show, but I enjoyed making it and was quite happy with the end result.
I chose apples because of thier symbolic meaning for the Chinese culture..."peace". Seemed like a good place to start.



"Peace" 24x24
Arcrylic/ Mixed Media on Canvas

It's all apples and oranges...

I attended one of my first art group drawing workshops recently. A lovely group of fellow artists all got together to stare at a thoughtfully placed grouping of "still life"... in this instance, citrus fruit. There were a few grumbles from the crowd...how boring the subject matter was etc., but after all, it was "still life". I happily picked up my charcoal pencils, and reminded myself of the "rules" of drawing...long past forgotten in art classes gone by...and I just went for it. I had a great time and I am so thrilled to have this group of people to meet with each week so we can all enjoy a few apples and oranges.

I see you ... a poem.

I see you

All I know to be I’ve seen
I look, I think, I learn…I hide,
my mind, not my body.
So please continue, speak softly in her ear,
Love her like tomorrow is gone
I’m here, I see, I love…
just like you.

Leesa Hanna